When recent Master of Science in Psychology graduate Justin Lord left Florida State University, he was a six-foot-four-inch pitcher with a 90-plus mile-per-hour fastball. He had a nasty slider, a solid change-up—and dreams of making it in Major League Baseball.

As part of CalSouthern’s 2013 Commencement Ceremony, the inaugural Faculty Mentor of the Year Award was presented. To no one’s surprise, the recipient of the award was Enid Richey from the School of Behavioral Sciences.

Today, Freddie Williams is a busy man. He's a full-time mental health clinician for Los Angeles County, specializing in the treatment of addiction. He also does counseling work at The Design for Living treatment facility in Lancaster, California, where he sits on the board of directors.

Recently, the topic of addiction recovery has not only been in the news, it also has been the subject of a wealth of scholarly publication. Not long ago, I came across two research articles published on the National Institute of Health website (see “references” below). Both articles specifically explored research conducted on individuals with the diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence.

CalSouthern faculty mentor Dr. Linda Salvucci has three decades of experience in the behavioral health field, with most of her career dedicated to the study and treatment of addiction. She’s worked in almost every imaginable setting, from hospitals to prisons, community and private mental health agencies and addiction treatment centers.

It’s a topic we re-visit again and again: tips for learning success. We return to this subject so frequently for a couple of reasons. First, it’s important. Sure, one’s capacity to learn is inherent, to an extent.

Owing to unprecedented modern stressors, addiction to both substances (alcohol, drugs) and behaviors (sex, shopping, gambling) has never been more prevalent. As a result, counseling for addicted populations is a major growth industry.